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Is Freelance Truly Free?
(This is a contributed post)
Talking to small business owners and freelance workers, it’s easy to spot a common theme when it comes to their reasoning for choosing their job. As modern jobs become less friendly, while also increasing in pressure, it makes sense that some want to escape the mainstream, breaking into a world of work freedom. In reality, though, owning a small business is no guarantee of liberty. Instead, this sort of work can often make people feel more trapped than ever before, and this post is going to be exploring some of the elements at play which make this so.
The Clients: It’s unlikely that you’ll start out in your business and be able to work with big businesses right away. For the first few years, you will be stuck with companies like your own, and this can present a lot of challenges. Clients in this sort of area can often be very entitled, expecting you to go over and above to support their work, even if this means putting you through hell in the process. Of course, this is part of the job, and will be essential if you want to make progress with your venture. For those that hate having a boss, though, it might not feel so great, as you could end up with a host of people breathing down your neck.
The Government: A lot of freelance workers assume that they are too small to be noticed by their government. With your company only making enough to support you, things like tax and compliance can seem unimportant. Of course, though, this is a big mistake to make, and it can result in some serious issues for you as things start to grow. Thankfully, avoiding this is nice and simple. There are loads of resources around the web which can teach you about the rules you have to follow. While going down this path will make your business feel much less free, you have little choice when it comes to doing it.
The Protection: Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about the protection your freelance operation is going to need. In this sort of role, you will be beholden to the standard risks which come with self-employment. Insurance for freelancers and creatives can be essential, protecting you against claims of loss of income, along with giving you the chance to fight your corner properly if you ever have action taken against you. The pressure freelancers are under to perform can make life very stressful. To avoid this, putting some security in place will often make life feel easier, while also ensuring that your work isn’t cut short by a mistake.
With all of this in mind, you will be ready to start working towards true freedom in your freelance career. This sort of quality doesn’t come naturally with this sort of work, with a lot of people finding that it can be harder than working for someone else. You have big dreams, though, and you shouldn’t let issues like these get in the way of them.
